At least 52 people were killed — including a police officer — and around 50 were injured in what officials believe was a suicide blast near a Rabiul Awwal procession in Balochistan’s Mastung district on Friday.
District Health Officer (DHO) Abdul Rasheed Shahi confirmed the casualties to Dawn.com while City Station House Officer (SHO) Mohammad Javed Lehri said a police official was among the dead.
Dr Saeed Mirwani, chief executive of Shaheed Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital, said dozens were being treated at his hospital while more than 20 injured people have been referred to Quetta for medical assistance.
“The process of moving bodies and injured persons continues even now,” the hospital CEO said, adding that 22 were taken to the Mastung district hospital.
Unverified images and videos emerging afterward depicted bloodied corpses and severed limbs strewn about as bystanders assessed the extent of the damage.
Mastung Assistant Commissioner (AC) Atta-ul-Munim told Dawn.com that the explosion took place when people were gathering for an Eid-i-Miladun Nabi procession near Madina Masjid at Alfalah Road.
“The bomber detonated himself near the vehicle of the deputy superintendent of police (DSP),” Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Munir Ahmed told Reuters, adding that the blast took place near the mosque where people were gathering for a procession to mark Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday, which is a public holiday.
The Mastung AC had identified the martyred DSP as Nawaz Gishkori. SHO Lehri also confirmed that the explosion was a “suicide blast”.
“A procession of hundreds of people came out of the Madina mosque and as it reached Al Falah road a suicide bomber targeted it,” said Mastung Deputy Commissioner Abdul Razzaq Sasoli.
The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan denied it had carried out the attack.
Balochistan interim Information Minister Jan Achakzai said rescue teams had been dispatched to Mastung. He added the critically injured persons were being transferred to Quetta and that an emergency had been imposed in all the hospitals.
“The enemy wants to destroy religious tolerance and peace in Balochistan with foreign blessings,” Achakzai said. “The explosion is unbearable”, he said, appealing urgently for blood donors to help treat the wounded.
Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti strongly condemned the blast and expressed his grief at the loss of lives.
Stating that “terrorists have no faith or religion”, Bugti asserted that all resources were being put to use during the rescue operation. He added that no effort would be spared in treating the injured and that terrorist elements did not deserve any concession.
Interim Balochistan Chief Minister Ali Mardan Domki condemned the incident and ordered an inquiry into the blast, directing authorities to submit a report in this regard at the earliest.
“The perpetrators of the destruction do not deserve any leniency,” he said. “Those who target peaceful processions will be dealt with firmly.”
CM Domki urged the people to unite against terrorism, adding that Islam was a religion of peace and “those who commit such heinous acts cannot be called Muslims”.
Expressing solidarity with the families of the martyrs, CM Domki said the best facilities should be provided to all the injured persons.
The caretaker CM also announced three days of mourning throughout the province over the tragic incident.
The information minister stated that the purpose of mourning was to express solidarity with the families of the martyrs. “National flags will remain at half-mast on government buildings during the three days of mourning.”
Former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was “deeply saddened by the cowardly attack on innocent people” and that such heinous acts had “no place in our country”. “May justice be swift for those responsible,” he added.
Heightened security across country
Soon after the explosion, the Punjab police also said that its “diligent officials” were performing security duties for Friday prayers at mosques across the province.
Meanwhile, the Karachi police said that Additional Inspector General Khadim Husain Rind has directed the police to remain “completely on high alert” in view of the Mastung blast.
He was quoted as directing the policemen to tighten security arrangements regarding Eid-i-Miladun Nabi processions and Friday prayers across the city, as well as to monitor any unusual activities.
(Dawn News)
